Focusband

I came across some interesting info a while back about Tiger utilizing an EEG to learn how to optimize his brain states. While there is no concrete proof, this does seem to be a valid idea. I came across the Focusband system that supposedly uses an EEG to help you achieve a state of mushin or relaxed focus. I'm a bit sceptical as the info is very vague and some of the research elements seem to be little more than anecdotal discussions with very little actual evidence or research. I spent the better part of an hour trying to find any info or research and found didly squat.

Has anyone had any experience with this or know if it is available commercially? I'd love to do some proper randomized control studies with this thing if I can get my hands on one.

http://www.focusband.com/

Placebo effect.

EEG is a medically sound scientific instrument, to refer to it as "placebo effect" is at my most polite... uninformed.

FocusBand combines both visual and audio feedback of the brainwaves tracked by the software. In the very first session most athletes come away with a personal first time in their lives understanding of what Focus FEELS like to them. Quickly by use of the audio golfers learn where they have skips in focus in their pre-shot routine.

Using video built into the FB software we can record the pre-shot routine to play back and resolve issues with lack of focus. In real time the three tones that are generated along with a visual avitar help the golfer to progress rapidly.

Learning to focus is simple. Next we are able to help golfers to switch from conscious control to non-conscious. We refer to this as left brain / right brain for simplicity however it should be noted the brain is very interconnected. This right brain non-conscious state we all know as "the zone" is referred to as "mushin" which is translated as " the mind of no mind ". Lastly we quanitify and have yet another audio tone for Quiet Eye.

Just this past month we switched the software for FB to a new platform and the new Avitar based interface is much more intuitive than the original vertical and combined graphs. I'm posting a photo below.

Frikkee, I don't see a location on your profile so can't tell where you are. I'd be happy to help you find a Focus Band practicioner and for the record I was the very first to have FocusBand in North America. This is the brave new frontier for golf instruction and is very exciting.

If the left brain or conscious can control up to 40 commands per second and the right brain non-conscious up to 11,000,000 where would you choose to play out of? I like playing out of my mind.... you?

I do not know about this specific product,but my wife is a licensed psychologist and uses neurofeedback as a medically accepted method of altering brain wave patterns in patients with ad/hd problems among other areas.

It was included in this paid program of WSJ today --- seems interesting.

http://partners.wsj.com/microsoft/transforming-the-course/

Really? On sale for the reduced price of $500?

Placebo effect mentioned by prior poster is not in reference to EEG which is a measurement device that detects small amplitude cortical activity. Rather, placebo effect refers to the reported benefits some subjects may temporarily experience following some form of intervention.

The website mentions proven scientific results, but only lists the names of a few PGA pros that in all likelihood were paid to have their names used. If there are measurable and repeatable results, I think they would be referenced. As someone with a PhD and a 40 year history of working in applied clinical neuroscience (and a golfer), I would definitely be interested in seeing something that looks like a headband actually being useful in controlling brain-behavior relationships. For example, is it more effective than using a mood ring?

If this sounds overly critical, I just take exception to pseudoscience being wrapped in eye-catching techy gizmos that cost an arm and a leg.

Really? On sale for the reduced price of $500?

 

Placebo effect mentioned by prior poster is not in reference to EEG which is a measurement device that detects small amplitude cortical activity. Rather, placebo effect refers to the reported benefits some subjects may temporarily experience following some form of intervention.

 

The website mentions proven scientific results, but only lists the names of a few PGA pros that in all likelihood were paid to have their names used. If there are measurable and repeatable results, I think they would be referenced. As someone with a PhD and a 40 year history of working in applied clinical neuroscience (and a golfer), I would definitely be interested in seeing something that looks like a headband actually being useful in controlling brain-behavior relationships. For example, is it more effective than using a mood ring?

 

If this sounds overly critical, I just take exception to pseudoscience being wrapped in eye-catching techy gizmos that cost an arm and a leg.

I'm with you. Real science is subject to peer review and corroborating studies. About a year ago, I noticed the absence of same on their web site. I e-mailed and asked for this documentation of their claims. I'm still waiting for a response. Believe me, if there were valid peer reviews/corroboration, they would be splashed all over the web site. Note: If I remember correctly Jason Day was claimed as a user just after his hot streak last year. Was there any proof of cause and effect? Of course not. If a golfer switches to different socks and has his best year, did the socks cause the good play? Did he stop using the focus band this year when he did not play nearly as well? In general, always look for statistical evidence, not anecdotal evidence.

Does anyone know where can I get a pair of these tour-issue socks? My Visa card number is 4312-3775-8008...

I found this thread and thought that I would post my two cents:

I am taking lessons with David Balbi in San Carlos, Ca and he uses Focus Band in his teaching. Here is a video of me using the device:

When I was able to get into my 'right brain' the soothing music would play. When my focus would slip, usually from thinking about something my body was doing in the middle of a swing then the music would stop and the shot would not be very well struck. One thing that I noticed for sure was that my right brain swing is considerably faster with higher clubhead speed then my swing when trying to move my body correctly. So far I have used the technique that I learned from David to keep my brain in the zone while playing enough to say that I am really excited and happy with the results. Much less worrying about my swing while playing. I do find it interesting that my zone swing is not as close to the bio-mechanically correct swing that I am trying to learn as my practice swing. I am hoping (planning) that with enough practice the two will become the same over time and I will get closer to the ideal.

This is not any magic bullet and it requires practice to be effective. It is similar to other stuff that I have tried in the past like Clear Key and Inner Game. It does seem to fit my particular personality very well. If you get a chance to try focus band I would say go for it as you will most likely find it interesting and it might open a whole new way of thinking for you.

pretty sure my results would say Meds needed!!

Okay, does not seem to be much interest in this but I will post an update anyway.

I bought a focus band and I have had enjoyed using it. I am able to get into the right brained sort of state fairly well with some effort or maybe actually it is lack of effort. So far I can say that learning to get into a meditative state does have a positive effect on my golf game. LOL all of that stuff that I have read and ignored about meditating and breathing and so on in order to to play a better game is actually true at least for me. For my full swing game the problem is that my old pre lessons swing tends to come out when I use the recommended target focus in right brain mode which is not good. I am most pleased with my putting because I have a stroke that works for me and when I drop myself down and simply think of the target while putting I putt quite well. I was a decent putter to begin with but I always had a tendency to sometimes have my hands involuntarily take over the stroke and usually push the ball offline. So far using the focus band approach I have been able to make a more pure stroke. The more into the meditative state that I can get the less that I care about whether or not the ball goes in the hole during the stroke.

Anyway I found that the focus band definitely works to help me to get into a meditative state. One other advantage is that it is very good to use before going to sleep though I sometimes fall asleep with the focus band on which is bit annoying.

Anyway I found that the focus band definitely works to help me to get into a meditative state

Question for Nels55: please understand I try not be the cynic here. But how can an instrument that is meant to measure brain activity actually help you to achieve a meditative state?

On left vs right brain function: it is more complex than this old model.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-athletes-way/201712/left-brain-right-brain-study-debunks-decades-old-neuromyth

Anyway I found that the focus band definitely works to help me to get into a meditative state

Question for Nels55: please understand I try not be the cynic here. But how can an instrument that is meant to measure brain activity actually help you to achieve a meditative state?

 

On left vs right brain function: it is more complex than this old model.

https://www.psycholo...s-old-neuromyth

Okay, I have to ask you why would a device that measures brain activity not be able to tell when a brain was in a meditative state? Especially considering that said device was specifically designed to do so?

As for how the focus band works I have no idea, the actual functioning of the device and the brainwaves that it is measuring and quantifying are part of the IP and that information is not available to the users. As for left brain vs. right brain that part of it is a simplification that is used to help get across the idea of what the device does. The actual functioning of the brain is much more complicated.

I only know that focus band does work and it works in the way that I described above for me and for anyone that I have let use it. I guess that only way that you could answer the question for yourself would be try it!

Reviving a really old thread but hopefully someone out there can help me. I bought one of these off eBay with they hopes of using it to get better mentally. I understand the concept and the sounds and all that jazz. What is not explained is HOW to become more right brained. Does anyone have something that shows how to get into the focused and quiet eye state that FocusBand is aiming for?

I used it a couple of times because a friend has one.

Research getting your mind into alpha state. When you visualizing the ball rolling into the hole and how it mighy curve you are using the side of the brain they want.

> @CardsChamps11 said:

> Reviving a really old thread but hopefully someone out there can help me. I bought one of these off eBay with they hopes of using it to get better mentally. I understand the concept and the sounds and all that jazz. What is not explained is HOW to become more right brained. Does anyone have something that shows how to get into the focused and quiet eye state that FocusBand is aiming for?

Doesn't the thing come with a manual or secret code to access that information?

> @oikos1 said:

> > @CardsChamps11 said:

> > Reviving a really old thread but hopefully someone out there can help me. I bought one of these off eBay with they hopes of using it to get better mentally. I understand the concept and the sounds and all that jazz. What is not explained is HOW to become more right brained. Does anyone have something that shows how to get into the focused and quiet eye state that FocusBand is aiming for?

>

> Doesn't the thing come with a manual or secret code to access that information?

It might if you buy through them but I bought through eBay. The manual just shows how to set up and connect, nothing technical. They have a series of course on their site but they’re pretty high.

If I remember correctly, there is no universal teachable "method" to achieve a quiet eye state. You simply have to seek it for yourself.

I first used it while I was taking lessons and my instructor taught me the routine to use. I did get a training session on their website that I have never actually completed. It sounds like the training is not available since you bought it from a second party? You could try emailing Heny Bolton: [email protected]. He answered some questions and gave me a deal on the focus band when I first bought it. 

Anyway to actually try to answer your question it is not easy to achieve the state of Mushin as they call it. It takes practice to be able to get the old noggin to stop thinking and relax. I will describe the routine that I learned which does seem to work: 

1) Stand behind the ball and ask yourself "What would a good shot look like here?" Do not try to visualize a shot or force anything as that is a left brain activity. If you have the threshold set at a reasonable point the music should start playing. 

2) Step into the shot while focusing on the target. 

3) While looking at the target think about the ball. 

4) Shift your eyes to the ball and think about the target. 

5) Swing the club while maintaining the Mushin state confirmed by the music playing. 

I have a hard time maintaining the no brain state but when I do I usually hit a reasonable shot. When I first started with this I hit some amazingly good shots and then it pretty much quit working. To much anxiety from focusing on the target perhaps and or to much thinking about swing mechanics which is the opposite of what needs to happen. I find now that I do better at maintaining the Mushin or no brain state while focusing on swinging the clubhead through the ball with a smooth relaxed swing. 

So for me achieving the no brain state is a tricky deal and there is no easy answer really... Using the device with the app while doing daily activities is one thing that seems to be instructive as it provides feedback on when I get into the Mushin state which might be doing something like programing or reading e-mail or watching TV. Well, not sure if any of this will be of much value but I gave it a shot...